Singles' Awareness Day
by SousLeStylo
Summary: [Oneshot] Hermione has researched Valentine's Day and has come to one conclusion about the holiday... or at least she thought she had. R


**A/N:** In honor of getting an early jump on the upcoming holiday... Enjoy this one shot.

**Disclaimer:** Most assuredly not mine.

**Singles' Awareness Day**

I never liked Valentine's Day, also known as "Singles' Awareness Day".

I don't understand why it's so special. It's one of the _only_ things I don't really… get.

I can't understand why the entire world dives headfirst into a fluffy, lovey-dovey holiday that isn't founded on anything at all, reminding the attatched that they're attatched, and the unatttatched that they are… unattatched.

I mean, who was this Saint Valentine? Not even the Catholic Church is sure of what he did. Are all of these pink- and red-clad individuals aware that Valentine's Day was _created_ by Pope Gelasius to counteract the fertility festival of Lupercalia in Rome where men and women had what was essentially one big Swinger's Party?

I doubt it. They know nothing of the holiday.

However, to prove to myself that _I_ don't, in fact, believe in Valentine's Day, I researched it. I now know far too much about this awful holiday. But it doesn't matter. It only proves to me that my theory of the holiday's stupidity is well founded.

That's why I'm sitting here, glaring at these students in front of me. They are all silly children. Really, who wants a bunch of candy, flowers, and cards all in honor of a ploy by some over-bearing ancient Pope to stop some heathenistic festival?

Don't these students have something better to do than run around the Great Hall squealing with one another about what heart-shaped poetry spewing card they've just received?

It's enough to make a girl lose her breakfast.

Even my friends have become obsessed with this holiday.

Take, for instance, Harry: as if he doesn't have enough on his mind what with the final battle between he and Voldemort coming up, here he is staring down the table at Ginny, who's staring right back. They broke up _last year_, for Merlin's sake!

If he wants her back, he ought to go over there and say something to her… but not because it's Valentines Day. A declaration of love on Valentine's Day is so very clichéd.

But I doubt Harry will do that. He's far too much to do at the moment. Look at that! He's not even reading that book I found for him on complex summoning charms! Those could really help him out!

No. He's just staring at her.

Oh for the love of grindylows, do I have to sit here all breakfast and watch all of this?

Not to mention, if I didn't know better, I'd swear that Luna and Neville are playing footsies with one another. They keep jerking in their seats and sending each other coquettish looks. Yes, we were all very shocked when we discovered Neville's little crush on Luna, and yes, we were even more surprised when we discovered _Luna's_ tolerance of said crush. But, it's quite one thing to tolerate a crush and quite another to play _footsies_ with one another. And at the breakfast table, no less!

All right, some one's foot just slid onto my leg, and ten to one I'll bet it was Neville. Oh yes, there's that sheepish, apologetic looks he saves for me and the professors, or what's left of them this year.

You'd think a bloke would be able to control himself and not mistakenly molest other girls!

And, of course, then there's Ron. As if he hasn't got enough to worry about as well. We told Harry we'd help him out as much as possible. Ron's supposed to be reading up on alternate methods of invisibility before Harry needs it in a fortnight. Harry can't rely on his invisibility cloak forever, especially now that there's that huge hole in it.

Instead of reading the thick text in front of him though, Ron's just staring at it. His bright hair has flopped into his eyes, but I can still see them staring at his pumpkin juice, which is dyed pink, of course, for the holiday. His eyes have this odd, dreamy expression in them. There's a huge smile plastered on his face.

Gods, he's not thinking of asking out Lavender again, is he?

"Ron," I hiss at him. "A little more reading, a little less… whatever you were doing."

Ron just glances up at me, grins, and then looks back at his pink pumpkin juice. Sweet Merlin, that boy's skull is dense. Didn't he hear me?

"Oh, leave him alone, Hermione."

I may have hurt my neck, whipping it around to stare at Harry like that. But who is he to say anything at all?

"You should be studying too, Harry," I whisper harshly. "Making googly eyes at Ginny isn't going to do much to destroy Voldemort, you know."

Harry looks down. Oh crud. I've hurt his feelings. He's been so sensitive since Dumbledore…well, passed on.

Harry stands up, sets down his napkin, picks up the book I found for him, and says, "Right, you're right, Hermione. Voldemort's the most important thing…" And then he walks right out of the Great Hall with not another word.

Ginny gets up too. "I've got to, um, go help a friend study," she says and then leaves the Great Hall as well.

I roll my eyes at her retreating back. It's all because of Valentine's Day. I hate Valentine's Day.

Oh, and now Ron's got up. Did I say something to offend him as well?

He stops right behind me and leans over my shoulder.

"You shouldn't hate today so much, 'Mione. It's not that bad…"

Stupid Ron. He's got that grin on his face once more. Does he have to lean in right next to me like this? His breath is incredibly warm on my cheek and smells of strawberry pumpkin juice… an odd combination.

Then he drops something onto my plate and walks quickly out of the Great Hall with I can only call a swagger. Ever since that day in Diagon Ally at the beginning of the year he thinks… well never mind what he thinks. What's he dropped onto my plate?

Oh. It's a card.

It's a _red_ and _pink_ card with nothing but my name on the outside of it and a few words scribbled on the inside in his tight and messy script.

_Hermione—_

_Happy Valentine's Day. _

_Love, _

_Ron_

I need a swig of pumpkin juice before I read this again, just to make sure Ron actually dropped me a stealthily hidden _Valentine_.

It says what it did the first time I read it...

All right, so perhaps Valentine's Day isn't that bad.


End file.
